18 THE ROYAL APOLLONIA MAGAZINE • 2018 edition
CYPRUS CUISINE
RELISH CYPRUS … Live every flavour
Cypriot cuisine is as incredibly diverse as its multi-faceted history , with its own distinctive persona of soups , appetizers , main dishes along with delicacies and salads , dessertsand traditional Cypriot coffee and other beverages brewed on the island . Thisis true of its alcoholic drinks as well !
Soups
Trachanas soup is a staple and part of Cypriot tradition , an all year round soup . Trachanas are crumbly solid cakes prepared by processing soured goat ’ s milk boiled with crushed wheat and salt , added to appropriatestock and heated togeta creamy porridge-like consistency . Ah and ful of small cubes of halloumi cheese are added in the final stages , along with seasoning .
If you are a fan of chicken , then be sure to try out Avgolemono , a classic soup with tender chicken , orzo ( rice ) pasta and a delicious bright lemon flavour . The chicken version of Avgolemono soup is preferred over beef and fishbaseversions .
Happen to be in Cyprus around Easter ? Then you should stick around for our Easter special , the Magiritsa ; a mouth-watering soup that is made from lamb offal and tripe . It is traditional to the Greek Orthodox churches as the meal that breaks the 40-day fasting period before Easter . It is served in the wee hours of Easter day , after the Divine Liturgy at midnight , you don ’ t want to miss out , it ’ s simply delicious .
Appetizers
Hot appetizers could include ; Halloumi grill , a traditional Cypriot recipe which consists of grilled spongy brined cheese made from goat and sheep milk .
Dolmades ; a stuffed vegetable dish made with fresh vine leaves , minced pork or beef , rice , tomatoes and some cinnamon or pepper seasoning .
Mussels Skhara , half-boiled kiwi mussels with olive oil and lemon juice
Feta Saganaki , roasted Feta cheese with sesamecrust , on chilli thyme honey .
Delicacies
The island of Cyprus has the dishes that fill the gourmet or food enthusiast with nothing but gusto and relish .
Lountza is a Cypriot delicacy ofsalted smoked pork loin that is marinated in red wine and smouldered with twigs and wood from aromatic trees or bushes .
Tsamarella is a crunchy treat from Cypriot traditional cooking which involves sun-roasting salted goat meat covered in dry oregano . It is usually served with wine or Zivania .
Another savour-packed tasty dish is Chiromeri , a yummy Cypriot meal made with smoked pork ham doused in red wine . It is usually served as Mezedes .
Originally served as an appetizer , Zalatina is made from the trotters of a pig , and could just end up being your main course . Snails may be slow , but they don ’ t waste time to impress the senses and taste buds when smoked or fried with onions and some seasoning .
Salads
Horiatiki salad is a staple of the Mediterranean diet , containing vegetables , tomatoes , cucumber , peppers , red onions , protein from the feta and olives and olive oil , which is the main fat used .
Cypriot Grain Salad uses lots of exotic ingredients like deseeded pomegranate , currants , freekeh , at times , quinoa .
Cypriot-style potato salads are also a big hit , when served with grilled fish , meat , or as part of a big spread . Lemon juice , extra virgin olive oil , olives , capers , coriander leaves and finely sliced spring onions add a tang to the dish .
The tomato salad uses sliced beefsteak tomatoes , local oregano or rigani which has a musky essence , halloumi , olive oil and vinegar .
Main Course
Souvla , large pieces of pork , lamb or chicken cookedon a long skewer over acharcoal barbecue , garnished with oregano , lemon and salt .
Souvlaki is Souvla with smaller pieces of meat , grilled bread as an option , more garnishes and sauces as well as fried potatoes . For tourists , souvlaki may be made with meat such as lamb , beef , chicken and sometimes fish ( especially swordfish ) and typically stuffed into a pitta .
Gyros is grilled meat slices instead of chunks , using different salads or dressings .
Sheftalia is a traditional Cypriot crépinette , a sausage without skin , using caul fat , or omentum , the membrane that surrounds the stomach of pig or lamb , to wrap the ingredients rather than sausage casing and grilled like a kebab .
Kleftiko is a traditional lamb dish that ’ s prepared baked in a kiln and cooked for a minimum of 24 hours in the clay oven while it marinates in a mixture of lemon juice , and cinnamon .
Stifado is a traditional and fragrant stew is made with rabbit ( and sometimes beef ) that ’ s simmered in wine , vinegar , onions , and popular Greek spices , like garlic and oregano .
Moussaka is a widely enjoyed casserole , baked in layers of eggplant and lamb , covered in béchamel sauce , a white sauce white sauce made with butter and flour cooked in milk .
Loukanika , a meal of pork sausages soaked in red wine , seasoned with coriander and pepper .
Yemista , a dish of stuffed vegetables such as peppers , tomatoes , onions , courgettes , aubergines or courgette petals .
18 THE ROYAL APOLLONIA MAGAZINE • 2018 edition